Dear Chanhassen Residents,
I wanted to provide you a brief update on topics that came before City Council this week as well as address a frequently asked question.
City Council
Downtown Design Guidelines
The City Council, Economic Development Commission, and Planning Commission had a joint meeting to discuss the future design ideas and elements of downtown. From topics about residential apartments to traffic and street connections, walkability, and place-making, an open dialogue was had. We took a survey, which will be made available to the public in the coming weeks, to help guide the discussion and collect feedback. Excellent collaboration throughout the meeting - much more to come.
Marijuana Ordinance
With the legalization of marijuana going into effect on August 1, we discussed implementing an ordinance to prohibit smoking/vaping all cannabis and tobacco in public parks/spaces. The City Council will be voting on the proposal at our City Council meeting on August 14.
Civic Campus Design
We had the first of many design discussions with the development team. We will be having a series of workshops outside of our regularly scheduled council meetings to discuss the various elements of the civic campus (city hall and park amenities). Details of those discussions will be shared as we move through the process.
Fire Department
Our Fire Chief provided Council with a comprehensive look at our fire service. I wanted to highlight one particular statistic as it speaks to the value of investing in our department to provide the best in service:
In 2014, when a call came in, it took an average of 9 minutes for the department members to arrive at the station and then 6-8 minutes to arrive at the call. However, today, with our 24-hour duty crew at the station, our team is out to the call within 2 minutes, arriving on-site within 6-8 minutes. In short, we are now arriving on scene before we were even out the door in 2014. With every second making a difference, kudos to our Fire Department, and thank you to the City Council for making these important investments.
Frequently Asked Questions: Ponds
With the warm temperatures and little rain, I am receiving many questions regarding green ponds/stormwater ponds. I wanted to share with you the information provided to me by our Water Resources Engineer:
Most of the time, the green material observed within stormwater ponds is not green algae but duckweed. Duckweed and algae are common in ponds, especially during warm, dry conditions like those we have been experiencing lately. The presence of large amounts of duckweed and algae is evidence of high nutrient loads (phosphorous and nitrogen) in the water. Residents can improve the water quality of ponds through best practices, including proper vegetation management, keeping lawn clippings out of the water, and using phosphorus-free fertilizers. More information can be found on our website.
Please note that many ponds within Chanhassen are not natural features; rather, they are designed as stormwater ponds. The purpose of the stormwater pond is to provide stormwater storage and treat stormwater through natural processes before it is discharged downstream. One of these natural processes is the growth of aquatic vegetation. Essentially, the stormwater pond was created to protect the downstream water resource.
The lakes and streams within the City of Chanhassen are regulated by the city, DNR, and the local Watershed Districts. Treatment of natural water bodies (not the stormwater system) is allowed but is limited to managing vegetation around areas such as beaches and public docks so that residents can enjoy the water resource. With further questions, please contact Joe Seidl at: jseidl@chanhassenmn.gov.
Please don’t hesitate to connect with questions or any feedback: eryan@chanhassenmn.gov.
Warmest Regards,
Elise Ryan
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